The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions.
Treatment of chronic medical conditions such as infection, vasculitis, renal failure or cancer often requires that patients have intravenous access catheters inserted to administer medications, infusions, fluids, and the like (herein, collectively, the term “infusion” includes these cases. (Intravenous means inside a vein.) These hollow tubes or catheters are often quite long; some reach nearly to the heart. They come in a variety of lengths and styles. However, their purpose is generally similar: to administer fluids, medications, or nutrition into the large veins of the body over a prolonged period of time.
These catheters can remain in place for weeks or months. The advantages of these devices include: (1) high volumes of fluid may be administered into large central veins; (2) they may remain in place between giving the infusions, therefore obviating the need for frequent line changes; and (3) they often allow the patient to be discharged from the hospital to home or an alternate care facility (e.g., nursing facility and the like) which makes for less costly and more convenient care.
Although physicians often discharge patients out of the hospital with a central catheter in place, they or their staffs sometimes worry that persons with a history of administering illicit medications into their veins (intravenous drug abusers) will use the catheters to give themselves narcotics or other drugs. This could cause infection of the line. In addition, administration of a high dose of the illicit drug directly into a central vein could cause overdose and possibly death. Therefore hospitals often keep these patients in the hospital for weeks past the time when they could be discharged to home just to prevent abuse of the catheter. The catheters are not locked and therefore could be used for injection by the patients when they are at home not being observed. Prolonged hospital stays to deter potential abuse of installed catheters dramatically increase the costs of providing care and take up limited resources. Some patients may attempt to introduce unauthorized substances into these devices whether discharged or not.
What is needed is a mechanism for deterring potential illicit use of extended-installations of catheters associated with patient care.